[essexspireman]

why don't they start pouring pints on 35 minutes or just have somebody pouring pints at half-time, instead of taking order, pouring pint and then taking payment. Also Jacksons can't be very happy if folks think their pies are C**p just due to the way they are treated on the concourse.

[Westbars Spireite]

It’s starting to become a real embarrassment to the club. We’ve got a lot right over the last couple of years but this needs to be sorted. Either do it properly or just don’t bother with any food at all and stick some vending machines in for pop and crisps.

[dim view]

Waller is my hero, on 23 January 2024 - 11:12 PM, said:

I was thinking about this earlier….im sure the hierarchy have turned a blind eye to the discontent towards the offerings in the concourse.

I refuse to buy any food because its so horrible & expensive….just a cuppa for me from now on

What’s needed here is a simple formal record of what Fans Forum actions are and aren’t being actioned by the Board

[turrhall]

Quaker, on 29 January 2024 - 02:53 PM, said:

Am I right in saying that supporters concerns have been put to the club a while back through the "Fans Forum"? They chose not to take action and used the term "If it ain't broke don't fix it" because they sell out every game.

Were sales to drop through the floor then I suspect they would consider something. I think I asked at the time if it would be possible to serve concourse food and drink in the Directors lounge so they could understand where we are coming from.

They laughed it off. Teams in this league with smaller budgets and less impressive grounds can produce affordable, praiseworthy food, whilst we can't sell stuff that even looks edible.

[Holmesc1]

Lets be honest are many others in the league much better? I enjoy the roast potatoes at halifax but mostly dont bother. A few year back i had a rollover burger which was ok but they were not on offer at my last visit earlier in the month. If a ground is near a wetherspoons or any other pub doing food i would rather go there before or after. Gatesheads is crap now they have stopped using a local butcher so alot of folk use asda, mcdonalds or the pub for food and the nearby pub the schooner has a good rep for its chips

[Cartman]

If we are selling out and it’s making money I don’t get the issue

Yes we could get better snap but it may be less profitable

I don’t get the idea of needing food at football anyway, eat before or after the game

The beer isn’t terrible for a football ground, sometimes have one before the game but never try at half time - can’t be bothered to queue and don’t want to miss any of the game

[essexspireman]

Holmesc1, on 29 January 2024 - 04:11 PM, said:

Lets be honest are many others in the league much better? I enjoy the roast potatoes at halifax but mostly dont bother. A few year back i had a rollover burger which was ok but they were not on offer at my last visit earlier in the month. If a ground is near a wetherspoons or any other pub doing food i would rather go there before or after. Gatesheads is crap now they have stopped using a local butcher so alot of folk use asda, mcdonalds or the pub for food and the nearby pub the schooner has a good rep for its chips

I have had fantastic pies at Crawley and Leyton Orient (back in day when we used to play such lofty teams)

[Holmesc1]

essexspireman, on 29 January 2024 - 04:44 PM, said:

I have had fantastic pies at Crawley and Leyton Orient (back in day when we used to play such lofty teams)

Good to hear. I would not mind paying a tad more for even half decent grub but most of the time its crap

[Arthur Cox’s Boots]

Unbelievable to see large numbers getting up after 38 minutes to presumably queue for food and drink at half time. FFS. I must be on a different planet to everyone else. What’s the point in coming to watch??

[calvin plummers socks]

Do people really need to eat between lunch and dinner?

[spireitetoo]

Do some of you ever go to away games yea, some do chips etc, but they also have a half hr wait too, the majority in this league seem to have a greasy burger van in the corner of the ground, or a poxy little serving hatch, with a couple of young lasses rushed off their feet, our food is no worse than some of the stuff served elsewhere, it's football, it's what ya get, ya don't get Gordon Ramsey cheffing in a footy ground sorry..

[calvin plummers socks]

spireitetoo, on 29 January 2024 - 05:36 PM, said:

Do some of you ever go to away games yea, some do chips etc, but they also have a half hr wait too, the majority in this league seem to have a greasy burger van in the corner of the ground, or a poxy little serving hatch, with a couple of young lasses rushed off their feet, our food is no worse than some of the stuff served elsewhere, it's football, it's what ya get, ya don't get Gordon Ramsey cheffing in a footy ground sorry..

If someone pays say £20 to watch something they would at least expert a decent standard of fare

[Spireiteboy155]

dim view, on 29 January 2024 - 02:58 PM, said:

What’s needed here is a simple formal record of what Fans Forum actions are and aren’t being actioned by the Board

The fans forum is a box ticking exercise. It’s utterly pointless. No one knows what gets asked (apart from those there), no one knows what gets done about it and no one reports anything back.

Apologies if I’ve missed a post about it.

[Bobby Darling]

Waller is my hero, on 29 January 2024 - 01:45 PM, said:

It’s embarrassing! Surely the hierarchy see how this looks…it’s all about the match day experience….from walking into the ground then leaving.

You are bang on. The management of any decent service company should cringe at that photo. .

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Town've worked wonders in getting kids and therefore their families into the stadium.

But this has gotta be a massive shot-in-the-foot.

Laughing the issue off in a 'Folk/mugs are buying it so what's the problem?' kinda way is a throwback to Allen's tenure.

And that ended well, don't it...

[danblue]

It's a tricky one is catering for large crowds.
I'm a believer in decent food - that's why when eating at the ground, I choose a Jackson's Pie - which is hit and miss as previously explained.
Now, the pie itself will be decent to start off with, its what the staff are told to do with it after that is the problem - whether being in the oven/warmer to long or reheated - who knows.
Now, the hot dogs and burgers are of cheap nasty quality. You can only imagine what goes into them.
But, in order for 'Croot's sell out', they'll only cover catering for a percentage of the expected crowd - they'll not cook 8000 pies, 8000 hot dogs, 8000 sausage rolls and 8000 dog burgers as this will inevitably lead to mass food waste (unless cooled,frozen, thaw and reheated for the following match - who knows)
My suggestion would be find what's cheap to buy, sell at profit, can be eaten easily and not reformed and unhealthy.
Off the top of my head jacket potatoes + filling.
I'd keep the Jacksons stuff, Jacket spuds and then out source to a couple of quality vendors (eg gormet burger & hotdogs and/or noodle bar) which can be set up outside and is a barrier off. Club takes a percentage of takings or a pitch fee.
The prices the club charge for those reformed hot dogs and burgers would probably be in the realms of what a vendor would charge